The Senate confirmed on June 4 Stefan Selig to be the next Commerce Department undersecretary for international trade. The position heads the International Trade Administration. The Senate Finance Committee approved Selig’s nomination on May 21, after a hearing on May 8 (see 14052201). As head of the International Trade Administration, Selig will play a central role in the implementation of the National Export Initiative NEXT, said Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker in a statement. Pritzker unveiled NEI NEXT in mid-May (see 14051324).
The House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee will hold on June 11 a hearing on U.S. agricultural trade expansion and the elimination of barriers to U.S. exports, Subcommittee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., announced on June 4. Japan and Canada, among other countries, maintain high tariffs and import quotas that prevent U.S. agriculture exports, said the subcommittee in a release. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative continues to negotiate with both countries over trade barrier removal in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (see 14060404). U.S. agriculture exporters also face increasing non-tariff trade barriers, such as unscientific sanitary and phytosanitary measures and geographical indications, the subcommittee said.
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) on June 3 advanced FY15 funding legislation without amendment (here). The legislation has yet to be released, but the Senate Appropriations Committee said the bill would fund the International Trade Administration at $480 million, $10 million more than the FY14 enacted level. “The bill also supports the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center to aggressively tackle unfair trade practices hurting American businesses,” said a committee release, adding that the bill would appropriate $434 million above FY14 enacted levels for U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Counterpart legislation advanced through the full House on May 30 after lawmakers tacked on a number of trade-related amendments (see 14060202).
Recent trade-related bills introduced in Congress include:
The Heritage Foundation renewed calls to repeal the U.S. Department of Agriculture Catfish Inspection Program or, at bare minimum, prohibit its funding, Heritage analyst Daren Bakst said in May 30 report. The program was widely criticized by lawmakers and industry officials alike as House members and senators debated the measure in Farm Bill conference (see 13121124). President Obama ultimately signed the Farm Bill into law in February (see 14020713).
The House passed on May 30 fiscal year 2015 appropriations legislation for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, in a 321-87 vote. The bill would boost funding for trade agencies in the Commerce Department, such as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the International Trade Administration (see 14043029).
The House Appropriations Committee approved on May 29 agriculture appropriations legislation with a 31-18 vote. House and Senate subcommittees advanced respective agriculture appropriations bills last week (see 14052107). The House bill provides $142.5 billion in total funding for the Agriculture Department, the Food and Drug Administration and related agencies, including $20.9 billion in discretionary funding (see 14051919). Lawmakers tacked on a number of amendments during the House markup, including a measure to prohibit funding to purchase Chinese processed poultry for use in school lunch programs. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., offered the amendment.
Recent trade-related bills introduced in Congress include:
The House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee for Homeland Security advanced Department of Homeland Security fiscal year 2015 appropriations legislation by unanimous voice vote on May 28. Committee Democratic leadership expressed support for the legislation during the markup. Lawmakers did not offer or debate amendments to the legislation. The full Appropriations Committee will now consider the bill. The legislation would boost funding for CBP and mandate spending for completion of the Automated Commercial Environment (see 14052817).
The Commerce Department’s ongoing investigation of Chinese solar panel dumping in the U.S. market threatens to cost U.S. solar jobs and prevents cheap consumer access to solar power, said 23 House lawmakers in a May 28 letter to President Barack Obama. The administration should work to conclude a negotiated settlement with China over the dispute, said the lawmakers. Seven senators sent a similar letter to Vice President Joe Biden in April (see 14041111).